4 Classic NickToon Series That Would Be Perfect for a 2026 Revival Show

Some may disagree, but if there was one great era for animated shows, it was the 2000s — especially at Nickelodeon. The classic NickToons were a huge part of many people’s childhoods who are now well past the age when they used to watch the channel after school. And, well, recent years have seen a pretty big wave of old franchises making a comeback, which makes us wonder: what if some of these cartoons got a revival? And which ones would actually have a good reason for it? After all, bringing characters back just because they’re nostalgic doesn’t guarantee a good show. Some of them, however, still have stories to tell that would make a lot of sense in 2026.

There are plenty, but keeping all of that in mind, we picked 4 of the best NickToon series that would be very interesting to consider for a revival this year (or next year at the latest). There’s a great way to imagine each of them working today without simply copying what has already been done.

4) My Life as a Teenage Robot

Not many people remember My Life as a Teenage Robot, which would already be a reason to bring it back. But the show actually had something that could be really interesting to explore today, when you consider how much technology has changed and what new generations are growing up with. The story follows Jenny Wakeman, a robot created to protect Earth who, despite being able to take on monsters and villains, is much more concerned with making friends, going to school, and figuring out what it’s like to be a teenager. It’s a contrast that still works as a great setup for all kinds of episodes, but especially when you take AI, the internet, and social media into account, there’s a lot the show could play around with.

Nowadays, technology is a part of everyone’s everyday life, especially for kids and teenagers, but that wasn’t really the case back in the day. So a My Life as a Teenage Robot revival could have Jenny still trying to fit in, only now having to deal with a world that’s far more technologically advanced than before. And if you really think about the last episode, the show played around with the idea of robots rebelling, which would be even more fascinating if it happened today. This year, creator Rob Renzetti even talked about wanting to bring it back (although through a crossover with El Tigre and Invader Zim), so it could be a good time for it.

3) Danny Phantom

Back then, Danny Phantom was really popular, and for good reason, considering how creative the idea was by mixing the superhero genre with sci-fi. And honestly, if a classic NickToon were truly ever going to get a revival, this would be one of the most obvious and coolest choices. The plot revolves around the titular character, who was just a regular teenager until an accident in his parents’ lab turned him into a half-human/half-ghost, giving him powers that he starts using to protect his city from creatures coming out of the Ghost Zone. In the middle of all that, he still has to try to maintain a normal life. And you could imagine it working either as an animated series or, if they really wanted to go for it, even as a live-action show.

Also, a good idea would be for the revival to avoid spending episodes retelling Danny’s origin and instead start with an older version of the character, exploring what happened to his powers, the Ghost Zone, and villains like Vlad. Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and Valerie could also get much more developed and mature storylines, which would even fit the more serialized format of modern animated shows. More than anything, though, Danny Phantom has ambition, especially when you think about both a new audience and older fans. How far could the whole concept go with more freedom to develop its mythology?

2) The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius

One of the most beloved shows of the 2000s is The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, no wonder it even got a theatrical movie, crossovers with other animated productions, and a spin-off. So here, we have a case where a revival would almost certainly have an audience full of millennials. The story is about a genius kid who spends his time inventing things way beyond the technological capabilities of any normal child, and always ends up creating a much bigger problem than the one he was trying to solve in the first place. And the fun would be taking that exact idea and bringing it into 2026. How exactly?

It would be amazing to see how Jimmy could be messing around with AI, robots, virtual reality, or any other technology that we use every day to come up with new inventions. Basically, it would almost be like the same approach as Black Mirror, but in a comedic tone. It could bring in new characters while bringing back Carl, Sheen, Cindy, and Libby as well, who helped make the series feel more complete — the dynamic between his friends was also one of the best parts. Besides, Jimmy Neutron turns 25 this year, which would make this a pretty convenient time for a revival.

1) Hey Arnold!

Who remembers Hey Arnold!? In this animated series, Arnold is a kid who lives with his grandparents in Hillwood and spends most of his time dealing with his friends, classmates, family problems, and the completely eccentric people who make up his neighborhood. There’s nothing extraordinary about it, just ordinary life, which might seem like a small thing, but it was more than enough for audiences to relate to. So, a revival wouldn’t need to reinvent any concept, because above all else, it was always about the characters. Here, the focus would be much better served by following them as they get older, this time during their college years.

The show already had some episodes that dealt with more serious and sensitive subjects, so now that could be explored even further. X-Men ’97 is a strong example of this, tackling themes like discrimination, grief, romance, political responsibility, and internal conflicts within the team, and it worked really well. So, Hey Arnold! wouldn’t need to be particularly creative or anything; it could just follow the same direction. Lately, the idea of a revival has started to seem possible, but it was ultimately shot down. It’s a shame because, given that it was one of the most popular classic cartoons, it would’ve been one of the best ideas for TV in the last few years.